The day Graham Hill died

Charismatic and charming, Graham Hill was almost universally popular with the public. He had a quick wit and was a natural entertainer. Initially working as a mechanic, Graham Hill charmed his way into drives in Cooper and Lotus sportscars in the late Fifties. When Chapman entered F1 with Lotus in 1958, Hill was one of his drivers. He had a quick wit, a natural entertainer and by 1962 ready to become a popular World Champion with BRM. Six years later and by now his forty years old, Graham picked up the shattered Lotus team through its darkest days after Jim Clark’s death in April 1968 and won his second title. A year later, during the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, he broke both his legs crashing his Lotus 49B due to tire failure and being thrown from the cockpit. Amidst fears his career could be over, he stunned doctors with his speedy recovery and scored a point upon his return in the South African GP at Kyalami in 1970. Founding his own Embassy Hill F1 team, he raced on past his best, retiring in 1975 to concentrate on running his team and developing the natural talent of Tony Brise. Sadly he was killed along with Brise and three other team members when his plane crashed in thick fog on the Arkley golf course in north London.

Born: 15th of February 1929 in Hampstead, UK.
Died: 29th of November 1975 in Arkley, UK, aged 46.